Hebe
Born long after the usurpation, after a strange night of passion shared by Zeus and Hera, Hebe is much younger than any of the other gods of note. Her youth is that much more evident by the essence of youth she has power over which, as a side-effect, keeps her appearance locked in as the equivalent of a mortal teen. Hebe is meek and quiet, always well-behaved in the company of Elder Gods but is known to be a funny sort with a mischievous mind when in the company of friends and mortals. Hebe is the most energetic of Zeus' daughters and she often enjoys the company of the other young deities such as Eros, Hermes, and Dionysus. History Rise of the New Gods Hebe’s tale begins before her birth. The usurpation had ended, the Titans condemned, and the gods had long been venerated. Zeus and Hera had so settled into a comfortable position as King and Queen of Olympus. They would share their bed on rare occasion and intimacy was lacking in their marriage. Zeus’ love of Hera had waned since the revelation she had once tried to betray him to ally herself with the Titans and Hera had never really felt the same about Zeus since he laid with the nymph Maia. But one day when Zeus and Hera were drunk on wine and nektar, they stumbled into a nektar bath together and created the spark of life that would grow into the form of a daughter born several months later. The godling was named Hebe. As she grew from godling to god, Hebe was endowed with essence and her personality made her quite the favored among nearly the entire pantheon. It was said that her smile could cause Ares to sheath his sword and her tears would break Hades’ heart. On this account, it was decided that Hebe should take the honor of being the Cupbearer of the Gods. Later, after her mortal half-brother Hercules had slain his children and wife in a fit of rage caused by a monster’s poisonous bite (a monster which rumors claimed was sent by Hera as punishment for some offense), Hercules traveled to Delphi to seek counsel of Pythia. The Oracle told him that forgiveness was impossible for such offenses as the venom had only brought the rage to the surface, but it was still his own rage; but when Hercules insisted there must be a path to atonement, Hebe appeared and told him that as the Goddess of Mercy, she knew a way. Hebe gave him a task that seemed impossible and Hercules set out, unaware that Hebe had only given this task as a means of diversion for her, Dionysus, and Hermes. When Hercules fulfilled the impossible, the trio decided to send him to do more. Eventually, after ten labors, Hercules suspected Hebe was toying with him and in order to keep their entertainment a while longer, Hebe agreed to marry him should he fulfill two more labors. Upon completion of the twelfth, Hebe kept her word. Hercules was given his pardon and Hebe’s hand. These labors made Hercules a celebrity among mortals and when he was not dwelling on Olympus with Hebe, he spent his time as a loved and respected champion of the people as one of their most endearing heroes. When Hercules eventually passed away, Hebe mourned his loss but found comfort in the embrace of her cousin Dionysus. In Elysium, the romance of Dionysus and Hebe grew to be quite popular with bards and artists of all kinds. As a result of this devoted cult and her frequent appearances at Elysian festivals, Hebe is a more powerful and loved divinity on Elysium than she ever was on the old world. Abilities Goddess: Daughter of Zeus and Hera, Hebe was born with an instinctive insight into the souls of beings, making her an excellent judge of character. '''Cupbearer of the Gods: '''By decree of the Twelve, Hebe was given the great honor of being the Cupbearer of the Gods. This title is an honor of trust, signifying that the Twelve agree that Hebe is one that they can all trust as she handles their drink. This position also gives her rarely exercised ability to break ties when the Twelve’s council meetings are deadlocked with a lack of a majority '''Goddess of Youth: '''Hebe is perpetually kept young through the essence of youth that fills her ichor and soul. Not only is she possessed of a much younger countenance than other gods, her personality retains a youthful aura. With a touch, Hebe can fill someone with the passion of youth, temporarily taking years off their physique and filling their mind with confidence at the cost of wisdom. Furthermore, Hebe can assume the physical appearance of a child of any age from newborn to teenager, but her natural state is that of a young adult '''Goddess of Innocence: '''Hebe’s soul is innocent. Rarely does a guilty thought cross her mind and if one should, it would remain a secret to all but her as the innocent essence the permeates her makes her too pure of spirit to pierce her mind through magic or psionics or cause an unnatural effect to influence her. Furthermore, she can extend this protection to any she wishes in her proximity '''Goddess of Redemption, Mercy, & Forgiveness: '''Freed prisoners are expected to hang their chains in the garden of the nearest temple as a sign of worship to Hebe in exchange for divine pardon for their past crimes. This tradition is so upheld that an escaped prisoner can do the same and thereby earn absolution for their offenses '''Goddess of Bathing and Bathhouses: '''With this essence, Hebe is aware of the location of bathhouses. Areas such as rivers or springs which are normally used for bathing by locals are also able to be sensed in this manner. Finally, Hebe can restore a person’s life energy by giving them a proper bath. This effect is potent enough to restore a dying, diseased, or disabled mortal or divinity to full and complete health; she could even wash away scars, lest the original injuries were caused by an Elder God, Titan, or Primordial. Category:Gods